Welcome to the Herpes forum. This forum is for questions and support pertaining to herpes simplex virus infections (HSV-1 and 2) and herpes zoster (shingles) and the virus that causes it, varicella zoster virus. Questions about genital herpes are welcome both here and on the STD Forum.

Can you get HSV 1 genitally if you have HSV 2 genitally

Hi, I appreciate your help and find this site very informative. I have a couple questions. I had never had any reason to believe I had any form of herpes in my life. About 7 months ago a girl performed oral sex on me while she had a HSV-1 OB on her lip. She has had HSV-1 for over ten years. About 12 days after this contact I started getting headaches and lower back aches followed by a herpes blister on the tip of my penis. I was so embarrased by it that I never got tested for it. I had many symptoms of an initial OB and I knew that she difenately only had type 1 and an OB. The OB on me was mild and I barely even felt it but it took a long time to go away.

1 I am in a new relationship and am getting tested for HSV-2 soon. My question is; is it possible to get an HSV-1 genital infection if you already had a genital HSV-2 infection many years before. I dont think I did but what if I already had HSV-2 in my genitals from years back and never had any symptoms whatsoever, would it be possible to then also get HSV-1 on my genitals and get an OB in adddition to have type 2. Or if you have asymptomotic type 2 on your genitals are you immune from getting type 1 on your genitals. In addition, would it make sense that if this were at all possible you would only get an initial OB after getting the type 1.

2 I know i never got tested for it but given my history of no OB's from anything ever. Then contact with HSV-1 and then a classic initial OB with symptoms. Wouldnt it seem like that one OB i had was definately from HSV-1.

3 When I got infected we kissed for a minute or two then like ten minutes later I washed my lips and mouth with soap and hot water. It has been 7 months since this incident and no sign of an OB on my oral area. Is it likely from this scenario that I probably got it just in my genitals and my mouth is OK. Wouldnt I have had an oral OB already being that I had a genital one within two weeks?

Twelve days is a long time from first infection to outbreak, actually, but certainly within the range of possibility. Normally, we see an outbreak within 2-10 days, with the average being 5.5 days from infection to symptoms. Since you never had this outbreak tested, I would say that you don't know what it was, maybe herpes, yes, maybe not. What I would recommend now is that you and your partner both get type specific antibody testing for HSV 1 and 2.

In answer to your questions:
The research suggests that if you have type 2 genitally, you are highly unlikely to get HSV 1 anywhere on your body after that. If your symptoms a while ago were indeed HSV 1 infection, then it is not uncommon to have no further outbreaks, or, at least, infrequent ones.

If you've never had a cold sore, and kissed this woman as well, one might have thought you would get infected orally as well, but you just never know for sure what might happen.

Hope you both will get tested before having sexual encounters so there are no surprises for either of you.

Thank you for your timely response. I got the sore on my penis at 12 days after the contact, BUT the tip of it had an unusual redness at about day 7. This lasted for about two or three days, went away and then came a sore which was a bit tender for about 5 days and then started to heal without breaking open, oozing, or scabbing. It was a total of about three weeks from the first symptoms to the end but then it came back or maybe never totally left about a week later. Nothing since then. Does that sound more typical. Also, if I were to get a second OB would I again get headaches and lower back pain before it started or is that just for the initial OB.

I think this OB had to have been HSV-1. I never had anything before, then contact with it, then ten days later an OB which seemed exactly like what all the sites describe online. Mine did seem a little milder but all the reading I have done says that even initial OB's can be so mild that they go unoticed.

Can you have asymptomotic genital type -2 and then get symptomotic genital type 1. Which i know you said was very unlikely that it could happen anyway. Or would they both be symptomatic or both asymptomatic. I am getting tested tomorrow. Sorry I know these must be annoying questions. Thanks

I would be highly unlikely that you would have asymptomatic 2 then symptomatic 1. Getting tested tomorrow will provide you with the most accurate set of answers. Remember to get only IgG, no Igm, OK? And get both HSV 1 and 2 testing.

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